Found Out
by xJordanKayX
Summary: multi chap story of how people find out about Sharon and Andy dating and their reaction to said news
1. Chapter 1

This is one of my 'newer' work, but I still wrote the first chapter when Rusty was still in school and not university and I am just too lazy to rewrite it, so this story takes place somewehre around that time.

I will try giving you a new chapter every day, though I will not make any promises.

Please keep in mind, that english is not my first language and I have no beta reader, so all mistakes made here are mine and mine alone.

And last, I sadly do not own Major Crimes or any of it's characters

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Chapter I - Rusty

It is incredibly late for a teenager that is supposed to be in school bright and early tomorrow and if Sharon ever finds out about this, she is probably going to kill him. His mother isn't home thought, and won't be until after midnight and that's why he has double the amount of security than normally watching the condo. He makes a metal note to himself, to subtly slip to Sharon, that the detail is complete crap, as he, still unfollowed, rounds the corner of the street and walks up Lieutenant Flynn's driveway.

So, yea, he admits, if he doesn't want Sharon to get wind of this he should not have decided on asking Flynn for advice. But given the very strange and totally obvious to anyone but them situation the adults are currently in, the Lieutenant is without a doubt the right person to talk to with this problem he's having.

He has to ring the bell three times and he starts to think, that Lt. Flynn isn't there, is probably at the same function his mother has to attend. Just when is ready to turn back, drive home and pretend this never happened, he hears noises coming towards the door. It sounds like talking and suddenly Rusty feels guilty for interrupting the Lts evening. He never even considered that he might be busy, because really, with, Sharon and Provenza both boring themselves to death at some police event with the mayor and the Chief of police there is no one else Rusty thinks Andy would spend his Thursday evening with. Apparently, he was wrong.

When the door finally opens, it is hard to say who looks more surprised or uncomfortable. Sharon's hands shoot down to the hem of _his_ shirt immediately, trying to pull it down to a more respectable length. Failing miserably and sliding the not fully buttoned shirt over her shoulder and down her arm in the process, Rusty shuts his eyes and lets out a sound of discomfort because he has just seen more of their (non) relationship (and of his mother) than he ever wanted to.

"Rusty, what are you doing here?" In her embarrassed state, she even forgets that she is supposed to berate him for being out at this hour, seemingly without his protective detail.

"Yea" he answers, eyes still closed " I was kinda just asking the same thing" Again, she should be angry with him, but a voice back in her mind reminds her, that she is still standing in her boyfriend' s doorway, wearing his shirt and decidedly nothing else, staring at her son. "Ah, could you, maybe, like… you know" he gestures blindly in her direction. Great, he is still aware of that fact, too.

It is a rare occurrence, that Sharon Raidor doesn't know what to say, but the moment she hears Andy call out to her why she is taking so long with the take-out, she shuts her mouth again, resigning herself to the fact, that there is just no graceful way out of this. They might as well make the best of the situation at hand without flushing even more of her dignity down the drain. A cough makes her aware, that her son is still waiting for her to put on _something_ and this time, she gets the words out she should have said minutes ago.

"Honey, could you put on some clothes and bring that throw blanket from the couch over here?" She hears a groan and she realizes, that she could have phrased that differently, too. He is not wearing _nothing_ , but she still thinks Rusty'd appreciate him not showing up in only his boxers. Andy's laugh reaches her just before his voice does, and yea, she would be laughing, too, if she thinks the delivery boy is hitting on her.

"I swear, if he…" he trails off when he rounds the corner, his eyes falling on his girlfriend's son. He hands over the blanket wordlessly and steps up behind her after she's wrapped herself in it. He greets the kid with a nod of his head. Rusty's eyes have opened back up the moment he was sure she was _not_ standing almost naked in front of him.

There is a long minute of silence before either of them gets that the door is still wide open, so Andy moves to the side, taking a motionless Sharon with him and gestures for Rusty to enter. They might as well have this conversation now, instead of preferably much, much later. The kid hesitates, searching his mother's eyes, but after a nod of approval, steps through and closes the door behind him.

"Police function my ass" he mumbles as he passes them, earning him a glare from Sharon.

"Language, young man"

"Sorry" he says even quieter.

While Andy and Rusty make their way to the living room, Sharon heads to the back of the house to retrieve her clothes. There is just no way she is having a conversation with her son wrapped up in nothing more than a blanket – she thinks he won't be that fond of that either. When she finally returns, Rusty is sitting on the couch, studying the floor and his shoes in turns, looking almost as uncomfortable as when she'd opened the door earlier. Andy is nowhere to be seen, but she is sure she hears him rummaging through the kitchen. She takes a seat on the couch beside Rusty and studies him, until he finds the courage to look at her.

"Dinner arrived while you were getting dressed" He never wants to say those words in that same context again. Sharon only acknowledges him with a hum and a nod of her head. She hopes Andy reappears soon but it occurs to her, that he is probably stalling, so she decides to start the conversation without him anyway.

"We _were_ at that event I told you about" She starts off with and she doesn't even blame him for the disbelieving glare he sends in her direction. "We might have cleared out as soon as it was acceptable" Sharon adds a little sheepish, and before he can send more admonishing looks at her, she continues "And yes, I _was_ planning on coming home tonight. I was actually leaving after dinner"

He just shrugs as his only reply. It isn't really the fact that he found out about them like he did, or that there even _is_ a them – because really, he knew that before they did – but rather the fact, that she did not tell him. There are supposed to be no secrets between them and granted she always told him everything important when it was time and she had the opportunity to fully comprehend the consequences, but all of those situations involved only either one of them. This concerned both of them equally.

It may be her personal relationship but he has, even three years and an adoption later, this nagging thought in the back of his mind, that this is all too good to be true and is waiting for the other shoe to drop. Is this it?! He likes the Lt. and he encouraged their dating before it started but what if she doesn't want him anymore, now that she has Andy. Fidgeting with the seam of his jeans, he tries to put all of his thoughts into words – ones that won't hurt her feelings because he knows this is important to her – but as always, she knows what is going through his head. One of her hands reaches out and she puts it upon his, stilling his movement. She finds Andy's eyes over her son's head when he comes back into the living room with their dinner and settles in the armchair close to his girlfriend.

"Rusty, honey, nothing is going to change between us. Andy's and my relationship means, that he will be around more, maybe staying at the condo from time to time and I really hope that this is okay for you - or at least will be. But my children will always come first, and that includes you, too. This will not change that, I promise" His eyes travelled from her to him to his shoes and back again during her speech. They finally settled on Sharon, trying to find the sliver of dishonesty he comes to expect when hearing words like this – his other mother never meant them – but he doesn't see what he's looking for. He never has with Sharon, but that doesn't stop him from thinking she one day might. It is ridiculous, he knows but with the past he's had, he also knows that his mother does not blame him for it.

"But what if…"

"No, kid, no what if" It's Andy who cuts him off. "Your mother loves you and she will never abandon any of you. There is no way she will let this – us – get in the way of being your mother and being there for you whenever you need her. If you are not comfortable with our dating, then we'll stop, we'll go back to being very good friends because you kids are the most important thing for the both of us" It would be incredibly hard to get back to the way they used to be, but they discussed this. Their children came first and when one of them is not comfortable with their relationship, it had to end.

"No, god, please… no. Don't do that." Rusty stammers out immediately. "Look, I know all that. I do know that this arrangement is permanent, I _know_ she's my mother and she loves me and she will never want to get rid of me. But I just…" This time he trails off, not knowing how to express what he is feeling. But again, Sharon gets him.

"I know honey. All I need is that you don't forget that" She squeezes his hand lightly, before pulling it back over to herself.

"Yea, I can do that" He sends both of them a smile.

"So you're okay with this?" Andy is the one to ask, though Sharon is not far behind.

"Yea… I'm okay"

They spend the rest of the evening eating dinner on Andy's couch. When they finally get to the point in their conversation, where Sharon can't just ignore the fact any longer that he is not even supposed to be out of the condo at this hour their talking takes on another interesting turn. And yes, she admits, she never thought Rusty would ever actually discuss his own love life with her. When they leave, he is the first to bid the Lt good-bye and heads to his car and drives home before her, because there is just no way he needs to see his mother and her boyfriend parting ways for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II - Provenza

They would willingly admit, that this case was one of the toughest they'd ever worked – if not _the_ toughest. It is certainly right on top with the five most gruesome they had ever had.

Over the course of the last two weeks, they'd found ten dead bodies – one every other day. Ten year girls, all of them raped, tortured and mutilated. They found the killer just a few hours ago, actually saving the 11th victim from at least her death.

Andy shot him when he refused to give up his weapon and as much as they are glad no more girls will have to endure the same fate, there is no way of knowing, how many bodies they just _haven't_ found.

They had been sent home with her clear order to sleep in and arrive to the office after noon to finish the outstanding paperwork – unless there is a case. God, how they hoped there will be none.

Sharon and Andy made good on this order, greeting Rusty with a tired _good night_ around 10pm and when they fell into bed, they were asleep the moment their heads hit the pillows.

This is, why it is with great displeasure that Andy reaches for the cell phone ringing on the bedside table at 8am. Since he still has to be officially cleared by IA there is only one person he knows would call him now. Groaning, he sits up against the headboard and unlocks the phone to take the call.

"You do know, that we are supposed to sleep in, right?" he greets the caller.

"Not when we have a case" Louie shoots right back.

"I'm only on paperwork duty for another few hours and there _is_ no case I'm aware of" He is still tired, lets it show in his voice easily, as he wipes a hand over his face, glancing at the woman who just woke up beside him.

He had a solid plan of not getting up until at least 10am, hoping that a twelve full hours of sleep helps make up for the three days she hadn't really slept at all. Then he was probably going to attend an AA meeting, he knows where to find them at almost all hours of the day, before finishing his paperwork wand waiting to get his gun handed back to him, so he could get back to actual police work. Seems like his plans just changed. There is no way his partner would _not_ drag him out of bed to discuss things he really isn't interested in right now – or, given their recent conversation topics, probably ever.

"That's why I'm calling the Captain to inform her that we have been rolled out" Provenza sounds exasperated and just a little hopeful, Andy notices. He's not really sure why, though. If he wants to talk to Sharon, then he could very well do that without calling _him_ out of sleep before. After all, he's her boyfriend and not her secretary.

Granted, Provenza doesn't know that first fact, but seriously, he definitively does the latter.

"Then why don't you just do that and let me get back to sleep for another two hours?"

"I just did" and "Honey, you answered my phone" reach him at the same time.

He pulls the phone away from his ear to take a good look at it, but know that it has been pointed out, he can feel the subtle differences between the phone he currently holds in his hand and his own. He _should have_ felt the smooth texture of her cover. He had broken his some weeks ago and was simply too lazy to replace it with one without cracks.

With a sight he puts the phone back to his ear just in time to hear his partner groan.

"Oh god, she's actually there" Andy has to stifle a laugh at that.

"Yea. What did you think?" Sharon pulls him back down onto the bed, cuddling into his side when he'd made himself comfortable again. She takes the phone out of his hand and holds it to his other ear, so she can overhear what is being said.

"I was still hoping, you switched your phones accidentally, earlier in all that rush."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Lieutenant" Another groan from the other end of the line and this time the both of them don't hold in their laughter.

She knows, that she probably should not have gotten involved in that conversation but the opportunity was just too good to pass up. Sharon would never admit it out loud, but she loves their little quarrels and sometimes, though very rarely, when she has a little of time to herself, she even thinks about new ways and things to say to annoy her Second In Command. Of course, after announcing her presence by pointing out his fault with the phones in the first place has been an equal mistake. She had not meant to say that out loud.

"I'm going to hand you over to Sharon now" Andy announces matter of factly, " I'm going back to sleep"

"Don't call her that" The continuing laugher on the other end of the phone line aggravates him even more. He doesn't know, if those idiots don't listen to anything he says or if they just don't care, and somehow, he's not sure he wants to know.

"Well, that _is_ my name, what's he supposed to call me then?" She switches the phone over to her right ear to be more comfortable, when Andy makes good on his claim to go back to sleep. Without giving her Lt a chance to say something, she continues "What do we have?"

"Double homicide, looks pretty easy. We got it covered here, so I'll see you at the office" He's trying very hard to _not_ be bothered by everything that just transpired in the last ten minutes.

He told Flynn that he thinks dating his boss is a bad idea. And this is not just _any_ boss, but the woman they'd spent the last decade or two calling names and general avoiding any and all contact. This is just crazy. This is going to not end good for any of them, because let's face it, those two are like fire and rain - two complete opposites that have absolutely no business developing a personal relationship with each other. He is going to have some serious words with his best friend.

But still, under all those discouraging thoughts about _them_ , there is that voice that tells him, that his friend is entitled to be happy and if he's honest with himself, she deserves some of that, too after all that her ex-husband put her through. There is after all, that very slim chance, that this is going to work out.

"I will see you in an hour" She is already pushing the covers back, getting out of bed. A squeal is emitted, when Andy grabs her around the waist and pulls her back into his arms. "Honey, I need to get to work"

"Tell Provenza you'll need an extra hour" he mumbles into her neck, just loud enough for Louie to hear, before he starts trailing kisses against her pulse point. She has to actively bite back a moan at his actions.

"I'm hanging up now" Provenza says, maybe a little too loud, but he is afraid, that he might overhear things he definitively does _not_ want to hear. "Tell that boyfriend of yours that we are going to have a long and serious talk about what just happened"

After the line went dead, she turns around and kisses him fully, pushing him back onto his side of the bed and following suite. So now, in addition to her son, Provenza knows and she thinks it's time to maybe officially report this relationship soon, before they'll get into trouble. But for right now, she also thinks, that Andy is right – they can wait another hour.


	3. Chapter 3

So, here is chapter III for you guys. For this one I have to say, I never liked Taylor and I think he's kind of an ass and I wanted to bring this out in this chapter.

Also, I wanted to say a big THANK YOU for all the lovely reviews I received for the last two chapters adn my other story 'Behind Closed Doors' . I#m so glad you like it.

I will be in Lisbon for a week come sunday, where I probably won't be able to upload anything. I try to give you one more chapter tomorrow and maybe, jsut maybe sunday very early morning. I'm afraid you will have to be patient with me until I get back.

thank you and enjoy :)

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Chapter III - Taylor

After the revealing phone conversation they'd had with Provenza in the morning, Sharon decided that they had to make the change in their relationship official with Taylor.

It's not like they had really been dating for more than three weeks, and she knows that she should have reported it then, but they wanted a little time just for _them,_ to work out if there actually is anything to report at all. Of course that were all excuses, because that this relationship would work out and is something they both seriously want, they knew already, before they had that talk.

But as much Sharon loves the rules and regulations, she's dreading the conversation with her superior and clung to any excuse to prolong it further. If it had been anyone else, she would have handed in the paperwork the same day they became an official couple – but this is Taylor.

She is sure, that if she wasn't the only ranking officer they see able to keep the Major Crimes Division in check and complying with the rules, he'd have tried to retire her already. He had made that perfectly clear her first day on her new job. This personal relationship is just a reason, handed to him on a silver plate, to do that to either one of them.

Andy, on h the other hand, doesn't have any insurance policy. There is really nothing stopping Taylor from letting him go from his job and making it look like was his own decision.

Except maybe Sharon, and while she vows to keep her personal life out of the office (see how great that worked out ever since Rusty came into her life), she will do everything to keep Andy working, and preferably in her own division.

She'd arrived only thirty minutes after the one hour she claimed she would need to get out of bed and ready and the look her boyfriend's best friend shot in her direction made her retreat into her office as soon as she had been briefed. She might be his boss and had quite a bit of fun arguing with him, she will not have this, or any other conversation regarding their relationship, without Andy. And the moment he walked into the murder room another hour later, she'd summoned him into her office and told him that _tomorrow_ would just not do.

That was the solution they came up with – tomorrow. They had their share of paperwork to fill out and they needed to have a real conversation about what exactly they were going to tell Taylor how long this has been going on.

First thing tomorrow morning, they were stopping by Taylor's office, except, that they didn't. Sharon shooed him out of _her_ office with the clear assignment to complete that sheet of paper stating their official relationship, while she made a call to the chief's secretary, asking if he, by any chance, had a moment to spare soon.

That's why twenty minutes later she finds herself standing next to Andy who had just knocked on the door. When they hear the clear _enter_ from the other side, she opens the door and steps through, Andy right behind her, guiding her with a reassuring hand on her back.

"Good morning, Captain, what.." he trails off, when he spots Flynn with her. Smirking, he shifts his attention to him "Oh, this must be real bad, if she makes you come down here yourself" After all, he knows Andy Flynn and just because he hasn't gotten into serious trouble in a very long time, doesn't mean he won't again.

"Chief Taylor" they greet him almost in unison before he motions for them to sit in front of his desk.

"Am I getting out the transfer or the retirement papers?" Taylor asks with a laugh in his voice. Yes, he really does know Andy, but even he can't come up with something he could have done that required all of their presence in one place at once.

"Actually, Andy is not in trouble" At least she hopes not. She hates herself for not meeting the man's eyes, but right now, she would like to be anywhere else but here. He can see that, fights the urge to reach over and take her hand in his, because that is probably the wrong thing to do when you are about to convince your boss, that your personal relationship will stay out if the work place. Instead, Andy balls his hands almost into fists, crumbling the paper he had just filled out.

Neither one of them really feels like elaborating and just when he is about to demand what the hell is going on, Taylor notices the sheets they are both holding.

Ah, he heard the rumors, didn't think it would be true. She has a relatively shitty past with an alcoholic husband and a strict abider to the rules, whereby he _was_ the relatively shitty past with an alcoholic husband and a seeker for trouble. He also heard that opposites attract. But he has to say, he never in a million years, would have thought they were ever about to have this particular conversation when they'd put her in charge of Major Crimes.

"Am I getting out the transfer or the retirement papers?" He asks again. Andy's staring blankly at him and Sharon is still avoiding looking directly at him. Damn, she is not supposed to let him get to her. She never has, vows to never will again either, but this situation is different. Whenever she stands up to Taylor she has only her job to lose if she takes it too far, and she knows, that he won't (can't) fire her. And this, right here, is still not deciding _her_ fate, but Andy's. She hates to admit it, but she is afraid he would actually lose his job over that.

"Chief, the Captain said…" Andy starts, but Taylor cuts him off. Not because he wants to be rude, but because he understood her perfectly and the less the two of them try to argue, the faster they can be done with this.

"I know what she said and I still stand by my question" Her eyes finally leave her fingers and she sends him a look that asks him if he's kidding. "This relationship is either not going to happen or with only one of you in the same chain of command."

She opens her mouth, has more than a few choice words on her tongue she can barely hold back but it is Andy who beats her to it.

"Fine, then retire me" He has been thinking about this the whole morning, hoped that it would not come to this, but he made a decision. There will be no transferring anyone anywhere and there is no ending this relationship either. He's too serious about her to fight Taylor on this matter.

"Well, this was easier than I had anticipated" Turning away from them, he actually starts to collect paperwork, totally oblivious to the woman in front of him. She is getting angrier by the second, because he really can't do that. And she's not meaning Taylor right now (okay, she does, too). How can Andy just decide to leave the force for her without discussing it with her first? That is exactly the reason she wanted to do that tomorrow, so they have time to _talk_ about this.

"Not so fast" she reaches over and takes the paperwork from Andy's hand, places both of the sheets on Taylor's desk. "First of all, this relationship is happening and of this moment officially reported. Second, Lieutenant Flynn is not leaving my division in any way"

Both men stop what they are doing and just stare at her. Taylor in shock, that she actually talks to him like that and Andy in astonishment, that she does this for him. Taylor's mouth opens, ready to admonish her for talking like this to a superior, but she doesn't give him the chance to. "You can pull up my retirement paperwork along with Andy's." Another set of astonished looks in her direction but they all know she means it. She's not someone to say things lightly. She over thinks most things way too much before reaching a decision – at least when it comes to her personal life.

This morning, she was certain Taylor will not let them both go, simply because he _does_ need her exactly where she is now. Now, sitting here and having hear Andy leave his career behind him so easily just for her, she doesn't even care if Taylor draws her paperwork, too. At least they would be unemployed together.

"You can't do that" Taylor says, because he won't admit it, but he's afraid she actually means it. He has no one else to run Major Crimes, with her gone he would have to shut it down and as much as would like nothing more sometimes, he also can't deny that it _is_ the division with the most successful closing rate in this whole damn building.

"I just did" She's ready to leave, turns towards Andy to motion him to the door and gets up from her chair. She's giving him time to think about what she just dished out. Either she'd have the paperwork on her desk by evening, or they would all remain just like they are now.

"Keep this out of my building" Sharon suppresses her smile and turns around to acknowledge him with a nod of her head before ushering Andy out the door.

Breaking the only rule the _three_ of them really set for this relationship, she grabs Andy by the hand and drags him into the ladies room. She would start complying with her own rules tomorrow - right now she just needs to forget for a while that she just blackmailed her superior.


	4. Chapter 4

This will be the last update until probably saturday (if you're really good, you can even have it friday :) ) because I'm off on vacation in an hour. But I promised you at least another update before I left and so, I did not want to dissappoint

Thank you everyonefor your lovely reviews, I love reading all those nice things you have to say

enjoy and let me know what you think

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Chapter IV - Ricky

Since they had told Taylor about their relationship two days ago, Sharon and Andy pointedly ignored the looks Provenza shot at them. They were officially reported and though they would like to share the news with everyone else in their own time there was no trouble lurking in the corner when he chatted with someone about it. As of yet, he hadn't but that doesn't mean anything.

She knows they can't hide their relationship forever, doesn't really want to either, because whatever Andy would say about her deserving someone way better than him, she proud to call him her boyfriend and loves to show those twenty-somethings making eyes at him, that this incredibly hot man is, in fact, hers. They talked about how and when to tell the rest of the children and came to the conclusion, that it had to be soon. If not because it's time, then because they do not want them to find out from someone else – or walk into an equally embarrassing scene like Rusty had. They _are_ actually incredibly surprised, that her son hadn't already spilled everything to his siblings.

Andy had taken out his phone and called his daughter, who had been ecstatic to learn that they want to meet up with the family next week and promptly invited them to join her husband and the kids in the park on Sunday. Sharon did not have as much luck, hearing that her daughter probably won't make it home for several weeks. They had plans to meet up in 14 days, which Emily was just about to cancel ( _Mom, I'm glad you called, I was just about to…)_ and now it seemed like she will not be seeing her daughter for another month or two at least. Ricky didn't even pick up and when she tried it again today, his phone went straight to voicemail.

Rusty is out for dinner with Provenza, definitively trying to ignore the Lieutenants grumbles and comments about them, while also not passing on any gossip about the relationship they both don't want to hear nothing about. The, seemingly, only two adults opted to stay at the condo tonight, enjoying the peace and quiet after a long day. Sunday is only three more days away, Sharon constantly reminds herself. He offered to cook dinner and of course she told him he didn't have to do that, especially in her kitchen. She gave in way too easily, though, and he knew it, too. He was in no mood for take-out and cooking? _No, thank you._

Leaning against the counter, she observes him as he stirs the sauce and puts the pasta in boiling water at the same time. Biting the inside of her cheek, she waits for something to go wrong, because honestly, how is he able to coordinate _both_ of those tasks simultaneously?! When half of the pasta lands on the counter next to the stove, she laughs out loud at him. So he isn't perfect after all. He turns and glares half-heartedly at her, but she looks just so damn cute, dressed comfortable and hair tied up, laughing at him. Not that he is ever going to tell her that. She doesn't mind when he calls her sexy or hot, but she is, in no way _cute_. That's what she told him the first time he mentioned it and he's okay with that, because he prefers _beautiful_ anyway.

"You know, this is your share of dinner that is piling onto the floor as we speak" He prepared way more than necessary and there is more than enough left in the water to feed the whole Division. But he still likes to tease her.

"Of course, honey. Keep telling yourself that, when you spoon your sauce like soup" She stopped laughing and pushes herself up onto the counter when he turned down the stove and walked over to where she is sitting. With a smile she reaches for his shirt and pulls him closer. His arms wound around her waist and then he's kissing her. She responds immediately, invites his tongue into her mouth and deepens the kiss with every moan of her he swallows. When he pulls back, she's out of breath.

"Get back to cooking, I'm starving" She leans up ,when he places another kiss onto her lips, but shoos him away when he tries to deepen it again. He walks back over to the stove to check on his homemade pasta sauce.

She hears the front door first and shares a surprised look with Andy. Rusty only left an hour ago, and even if he never said so (and probably never will) he always drags the dinners or ball games they had out to give them a little more time to themselves. This could only really mean one thing – something happened. Whether it is something serious, like more threats against her son of something mundane, like Rusty finally having enough of Provenza's inquisition, she doesn't know. She tries to picture the latter none-the-less, because the former would mean her son is in tangible danger again.

"Rusty, what are you doing back so early?" She calls over into the living room " Andy and I were just…"

"I'm not Rusty " her son answers, and with a laugh in his voice, adds "You and Andy were just, what?!" Ricky stands at the dinner table, jacket loosely draped over his shoulders and his rucksack by his feet. "Great, you're making pasta. I haven't eaten since breakfast"

That's finally what gets Sharon out of her stupor. "Ricky!" Walking over, she pulls him into her arms and she's sure he has gotten even taller since the last time she saw him. "It's so good to see you"

"You too, mom" He hugs her again and when she eventually lets go of him, he walks up to Andy to greet him. "Andy, hi" He shakes the offered hand.

"Ricky, how are you?" They had kind of hit if off instantly the moment they met for the first time. Ricky liked the Lieutenant, despite the similarities to his father – a man he really does not like some days.

"So, am I interrupting your date here?" Ricky smirks at his mother. The last time he spoke to his brother about this situation Sharon and Andy found themselves in, they were still both vehemently denying, that they were anything than _very good friends_. It's been a while, since Rusty said anything about it now, and so he just assumes that all things are still the same.

"We are…"

"…not dating? Yea, of course"

"That's not what I was going to say" Sharon says with a smirk, that wipes the one on Ricky's face right off. He had been looking forward to teasing his mother about the _boyfriend_ , never really believing, that when he showed up unannounced at her door, there would actually _be_ a boyfriend.

"Oh, I'm going to kill Rusty" It's the only thing he can think of to say right now. That little shithead let him walk right into this one. Rusty knew about him coming to visit for a few days – he wanted to surprise his mother and needed to be sure she was home when he showed up – and the teenager just confirmed her whereabouts for tonight and hung up the phone. Yes, he is going to kill his little brother.

"Don't be too hard on Rusty" Andy puts out, motioning for the young man to set the table while Sharon is pouring the drinks. "He's been through enough because of us already" It took him three days, before he could look his mother in the eye again and five to not think about what he saw, every time she said she was going to change. He still can't shut out the thought, that he knows what they are doing when they close the bedroom door behind them at night.

"What, did he walk in on you or something?" Ricky's laughter dies in his throat at his mother's slight blush and the way she is not looking at any one of them. "Oh my, god, he _did?!_ " It is neither a question, nor a statement.

"No!" She is quick to correct, then a little quieter "Not exactly" She's still not looking at Ricky, but her eyes search Andy's face for help. How can he let her do this alone? She fell even more in love with him for the way he reassured Rusty his place in her life is constant. And now he can't find the words to save her from this? Great. He is going to have the easy part in telling Nicole about them dating on Sunday. Why do _her_ children have to find out about them by accident?!

"Oh my god" Ricky repeats, setting the last fork down beside its plate and folding himself into a chair. "There are just things I do not need to know. One of them is my mother having sex" His head falls into his hands for a moment, shoots back up, when he hears them chuckle softly. The glare in their direction only makes it worse.

"So, how have you been? Did you talk to your sister recently?" Sharon and Andy take their seats at the table as well.

"Wait, are we just going to act all normal now?" Does his sister know, he asks himself. He is going to have to call her later –or skype, with Rusty there, so he can rat out the traitor to their sister immediately.

"How do you think we are supposed to act?" Sharon inquires.

After a moment of contemplation, he shrugs his shoulders and digs into his spaghetti. "I guess normal is pretty okay" Because nothing changed really.


	5. Chapter 5

Yay, I'm back from vacation and after I had the chance to finally watch the latest MC episode an hour ago, I decided that it was time to give you another update.

Thank you all so very much for the lovely reviews.

This one is actually inspired by some true events, though they were more innocent :D

read, enjoy and tell me what you thnk

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Chapter V - Emily

He called his sister two hours later, when the adults had made themselves comfortable on the couch to watch a movie. They'd promised they won't be much longer, since Ricky is supposed to sleep said couch, but the young man pointed out that he could share Rusty's room, putting up an air mattress. It would be easier – they had a lot to talk about after all.

Rusty dreaded that talk, Ricky was bad enough when he wanted to be but he just knew, that the moment they'd step into his room, Ricky was calling their sister.

Emily had no idea, although that would explain her mother's call a few days ago. They had a pretty set calling schedule this time of the year, because Emily was mostly pretty busy every day. This calling out of the blue only really happened, when they had plans to confirm or cancel – or when something happened. Her mother's reaction to the news that she won't make it home soon confirms, that she hadn't phoned because of the former – but it was neither the latter.

She had scolded Rusty for not immediately passing on the news to them when he found out. That was his duty as her son and their brother. She had scolded Ricky for not immediately calling her, because it was incredibly freaking late in NY and she only picked up the skype call, because she had been finishing up something on her laptop anyway. Then she had let them tell her everything they knew and _she_ needed to know. It wasn't all that much and Ricky just _had_ to reveal how Rusty had found out about their mother in the first place, what had her lose up on the boy a bit. If she were him, she's not sure she wanted to retell this story to anyone either. When they hung up, which was relatively soon, Emily promised to call her mother _the_ moment she woke up and the she would call them back after that.

Making good on her promise, Emily didn't even bother to brush her hair when she wakes up, instead getting her tablet from the nightstand and calls her mother's skype. It rings about four times before it establishes a connection. When it dies, she's a bit surprised. The only thing she sees, is her mother's back, clad in one of her black business jackets, hair hanging loosely but neatly over it. She can hear talking though and it is way too early for her brothers to be up.

So, Andy stayed the night – interesting.

She is just about to say something, when Sharon's position shifts just a little, scooting back on the edge of her desk, back straightening as if she is reaching for something. What exactly she had been reaching for, Emily finds out just a moment later, with two hands, definitively not her mother's, wind around her back – one travelling up to tangle in a mess of auburn hair, the other travelling down – and before it reaches its destination, Emily speaks up. Yea, she does not need this so early in the morning.

"This is exactly the reason I called, but that does not mean, I need to see it, too" The hands stop in their place, her mother's back straightening even more. "And you should probably turn off the automatic call acceptance when you plan on making out on your desk."

Sharon is glad that her daughter can't see her blush, contrary to Andy who laughs at her. What did she do to deserve this? Why did it have to be _her_ children with the bad timing? Why can't this happen to him once in a while? She guesses, the odds are not stacked in her favor when she has three kids, while he only has one. Okay, technically he has two, but his son is still not all that fond of him (and her) and not really talking to him. He generally avoids most places his dad could show up, and LA _is_ a pretty big city, so there is very little chance of them running into each other somewhere.

"Tell me you did not hear this", she almost begs. Maybe she imagined Emily's voice, so sure that with two of her children finding out about them like this, the third one has to as well.

"Yea, sorry baby, can't do that" And of course, he had to call her _baby_ now. He is enjoying this way too much. He is going to pay for this on Sunday.

"Could we maybe have a real conversation before you need to head off to work?" As much fun as she would have teasing them a little more, she knows her brothers are good on that, now that Ricky is there to teach Rusty a few things. And there is always next time. She knows, all three of them don't have much time right now, but this call had been necessary.

"Do we have to?" She hears Andy laughing at her mother. If she didn't like him before, she definitely did, now. Everyone who's not afraid to tease Sharon and did so when the situation arises, was likeable in her eyes. And she has to admit, her mother could do much worse – in the personality _and_ the looks department. She actually had, but Jack is her father, so she won't ever say that in front of Sharon.

"Yes, come on, we all need to get going" Emily is not even out of bed yet. This is going to be a very stressful morning. "See, that wasn't so bad. Hi mom, hi Andy" Sharon had reluctantly been turned around by Andy and gently pushed down into the chair in front of her desk. He is standing behind her, arms propped up on the back rest. They greet her unison, and when Sharon tries to go on, changing the topic most likely, Emily starts again.

"A few questions to start off…" but Sharon cuts in this time. She doesn't need to hear those questions to answer them.

" .Yes. You don't need to know that, but since you talked to your brothers already, you probably know the answer to that, too. And yes and yes." That has the young woman satisfied for now - at least where the questions for her mother are concerned.

Are they really together?

Are they serious?

Is she in love with him?

Are they sleeping together?

Is she happy?

Was she planning on telling her some time?

"Okay, fine, I can work with that until I come visit. Andy…" but he, too doesn't let her finish.

"I am very serious about this relationship. I love your mother and I would never intentionally hurt her. Listen Emily, I can't tell you, that I will never drink again, because even after all this years you have to take it day by day, but I _can_ promise you, that I am trying with all my heart to not let anyone down again. Not my children, not your mother and not you kids"

She is searching his face during and after his speech and finds nothing but honesty and a little sadness in there. It was the last part she had been concerned about. She never really doubted their feelings for each other (even before, when they were _just friends_ ) and she never really doubted his ability to stay sober, but like he said, you never knew with things like that. And she is glad she didn't have to ask. She knows he wouldn't have been offended, that he knows she is just looking out for her mother's best intentions, but she just didn't want to ask. There are just some things you have to know the answer to, without knowing how to pose the question. She appreciates his honesty, too. He didn't guarantee that everything with them will work out like a fairy tale but that was okay. That's more than they ever got from her father.

Nodding her head in contentment, she thinks that, for now, this is all she can do here. She never intended to call and admonish them for something or to make a scene about them dating, because she really has neither the need nor the right to. It is simply none of her business who her mother is dating or not-dating.

"You do know, that you two will have to stand this inquisition again, when the three of us children are around together, right?" She has however, the right to question and tease her about her dating life.

"That's a visit I can't really wait for" Sharon admits on a sigh before they say their goodbyes. When the connection fades with a laughing Emily on one end of the line, Andy rounds the chair and appears beside her and Sharon hides her face in his chest. He's not laughing this time. Having this conversation with the three of them separately had been fairly easy – the three of them together is a whole other story. In that moment he's extremely glad, that her kids liked him even before this started.

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I just realized that at the beginning of Sharon's line where she answers her daughter's queestions there are actually two 'yes' missing nad no matter how often i changed that it still didn't show up - but the questions later on don't make much sense otherwise. so if anyone is still reading this, i hope it makes more sense now, if you haven't figured the answers to those the first two questions out on your own.

I know, it is pretty unlikely, that all of her children walk in on them in one way or another, but I just had way too much fun with that to pass it up!


	6. Chapter 6

So sorry for the delay but my friend needed hepl with her term paper but I'm back now. Also this chapter kind of got away from me and it turned out a bit longer and also moved in a bit of a different direction than i initially wanted it, too. But writing it, this sounded better.

I also want to point out, that I intentionally left out the name of Nicole's husband, because as far as I know we haven't heard it yet (if we did, then shame on me :) )

as always, ready and enjoy

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Chapter VI - Nicole

Sunday came faster than they had anticipated and with Ricky still around for another two days, Rusty opted to stay home with his brother. It wasn't like he and Nicole didn't get along, and he adored her two little step-sons, but he was just not ready for a family gathering. While Sharon and Andy hadn't been together yet, he had joined them sometimes, but this was different. He had a hard enough time coming to terms with having a mother that actually cared for him and then two siblings – a whole new family probably needed a little longer.

Ricky had met Nicole once, more in passing than anything else and where he was looking forward to _really_ meet her, this was probably the wrong time. Maybe they could team up together to taunt the parents the next time he and his sister were in town. He had no problem staying home with his brother, had suggested it even, when Sharon tried to talk them into coming along. She did not have to put her life on hold just because he showed up unexpectedly – and he'd told her that more than once already.

The boys are seated on the couch when Andy comes down the hall and plops down in one of the armchairs, heaving a long sigh. Barely able to hold in their laughter, they just ignore him, because they know what has him so exasperated and they really, _really,_ do not want to get involved in this conversation. It's not like it isn't funny, but the less they _don't_ get involved, the sooner they would finally leave.

"Women" Andy lets out on another sigh, glancing at his watch. Rusty is about to comment on that, some witty remark about how he gladly won't ever find out what Andy is talking about, when he remembers that he doesn't want to be part of the argument he's sure is going to happen sometime today.

They were supposed to leave twenty minutes ago. Of course they'd planned with plenty of time so they won't be late even if they left in ten minutes, but with traffic, you never know. Sharon took her time getting ready this morning, changing her clothes three times, pulling her hair up into a ponytail – and then putting it back down again – before tying it back again. He's not sure, but he thinks her make-up changed twice, too.

When she finally leaves the bedroom and steps into the living-room, she is wearing yet another outfit – though he can't say he doesn't like it. The dark red sun dress is shorter than she would normally wear – and that is saying something considering the designer skirts she had chosen to wear to work recently – and clings to her figure perfectly. It displays her long, shapely legs and slender hips and her soft, smooth skin, along with the freckles on her shoulders, while incredibly effectively hiding the fact, that she had given birth to two children. Not that she needs that, but the woman wears nothing else than Armani and other high-priced designer outfits to work, so who was Andy to argue with her about beauty and fashion. She is showing a lot more cleavage, too and he's sure, that would they not be spending the day with two boys who love to cling to her whenever she's around and drag her with them to play, she would have forgone a bra also. He can't take his eyes off her and somehow, he thinks that's exactly what she intended.

She's slipping into her sandals as he's getting up from the armchair, biting his tongue to prohibit the _finally_ to move past his lips. The boys are not so careful in their behavior and word choice and for a second Sharon debates throwing her shoe after one of them, but in the end, she fixes them with a pointed glare and watches with satisfaction, as the message sinks in. You don't mess with Sharon Raydor and technically, she thinks, they should know her long enough by now, to know _that,_ too.

The drive to the park is spend in pleasant conversation and shared jokes and by the time they arrive at the parking lot, he has almost forgotten, that he is supposed to be irritated with her. She had _days_ to prepare for this day and _three hours ago_ was the best point in time to start figuring out what to wear?! Granted, he did that, too, but then again, he pulled out a pair of jeans and a shirt, put them on, stuck by his decision and drove over to the condo to pick up Sharon.

The flash of skin he sees from the corner of his eyes irritates him further, though. _Why_ does she have to wear _that_ dress?! It is in no way inappropriate and he loves, _loves,_ this dress on her (or sliding it _off_ ), but it is just so damn distracting. Every time he glances over at her, he glimpses some part naked skin here or there. The fact that she's smiling at him all the time and how she's even more affectionate today doesn't really help either.

After he put the car in park, he rounds it and opens the door for her. She more than once told him, that he doesn't need to do that, especially since they are together now and would probably share the same car more often than before, but he still insists on it. She's not really complaining either, it's nice being treated like you are worth something. Though she is sure, that sometimes Andy holds her even higher than she actually deserves. Sharon takes his hand when she steps out of the car and doesn't let go, even as he drapes his arm over her shoulder. She snuggles into his side, pulling his arm tighter around her shoulders and, in the process involuntarily exposing more of her cleavage. Without her heels she's shorter than him and he has to bite back a groan when he looks down at her and spots nothing else than skin.

"Maybe you should stop looking at me like you want to eat me when we're with your daughter" She bites the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. This is working better than she thought it would.

"Oh my god, you planned this, didn't you?!" This time, he lets out the sigh and the groan he has been trying not to let come forward. He knows she is evil when she wants to be, but this?! No, he hadn't expected her to pull something like this on him so soon.

"You walked out of this situation three times, without so much as being embarrassed. I think I'm entitled to have a little fun with this" She's openly laughing at him now. He's swallowing hard, when they enter the park and find Nicole and her husband, along with the kids at one of the pick nick tables nearby. This is going to be a long day but he thinks he probably deserves it just a little.

The kids spot them first and with a quick question thrown behind them, and the proper acknowledgement of their parents, they are off crossing the few steps that still separate them. They run into Sharon simultaneously, clinging to her with a chorus of _Sharon_ and she has to let go of Andy to kneel down and greet them properly. He should be jealous that _his_ grandchildren always greet _her_ first and always this enthusiastic but he gets it. He adores her, too. After they let go of Sharon, Andy gets the same treatment. He playfully groans when he bends down, commenting on how he is getting to old for this, making not only the children laugh, but his girlfriend, too. Under the watchful eyes of Nicole and her husband, he puts his arm back around Sharon's shoulders, before they both gather one of the children to their sides, the four of them head back over to the boys' parents.

"So it's true then?" Nicole says when they are in hearing distance. She throws a look at her husband as if to say 'I told you so'. He just shrugs his shoulders at her and busies himself with pulling out the paper plates from their picknick basket. They know each other long enough for him to know when he's lost.

"What are you talking about?" Andy asks, while hugging his daughter. Sharon does the same and after they moved on to Nicole's husband, she finds herself back at his side immediately, almost automatically. This is another new aspect of their relationship – where they had never been reluctant to be close to each other before, now there is this newfound closeness that Sharon likes to display since they are official; be it a light touch to his arm or cuddling up to him on the couch in the evenings.

"So you are still not dating?" Nicole's husband inquires, adds with a smirk in their direction "Because _this_ " gesturing in their direction "looks pretty much like dating to me"

"No, no we are" Sharon starts, pauses and takes a moment to let sink in how easy to say that actually was. Of course, she had said it more than once already, but she was kind of expecting some big announcement with surprised faces, because _no one_ thought they were ever coming out of denial. What she gets is a quick look in her direction for admitting it so casually – and that's it. "How did you know that, though?"

"Emily" is all Nicole answers as she watches her husband trying to get the boys to sit down so they could start eating soon. She languidly folds six napkins and places them onto each of their plates, as if she had not just said anything.

"Emily?!" Andy manages after a moment "You mean as in _her_ Emily?!"

"Yes, she called me yesterday. Begged Rusty for two days to give her my number" Again, she acts like it's not a big deal, like they did this all the time – and yet the women haven't even met once.

"My daughter called you?" It's not like it is a bad thing that their daughters talk to each other. If this relationship is moving where they both really hoped it did, they even _want_ their children to get along. This is just way too surprising and random.

"Said that she wanted to warn the new step-sister in advance and told me some very interesting stories" Another smile shared with her husband.

"Great, so you know about those, too" She shares a look with Andy and can't hold back the eye roll. What did she expect, really?! When her daughter went through the trouble of getting his daughter's number then there is no way she just _wouldn't_ tell those stories.

"What stories?" One of the boys asks, eagerly leaning over the table for the adults to delve into some fascinating tale.

"Oh, please, no. Don't tell them that, _ever"_ Andy groans when Nicole just laughs. He lets out yet another groan, as he looks down at his girlfriend and catches her cleavage again. He starts to think, he hates this dress. Sharon is only laughing at him and he motions her towards the bench. Maybe he won't feel as uncomfortable when he's sitting. They take their seats between Nicole's two step-sons, after they scooted over and practically dragged them down to them.

The day is spent comfortably and lazy with eating and talking in good company. Once or twice the kids pull Sharon with them to the swings or the seesaw on the nearby playground and she goes willingly, laughing and playing with the boys. These are the times Andy is sure that she is enjoying more than just having the kids around, when she sways her hips just that much more noticeably or when she bends down to kiss him so he can get a look at a lot more skin. By the end of the evening, no matter how much fun he had had with his daughter and her family, he feels incredibly uncomfortable and is silently hoping that the younger adults do _not_ notice that. He debates about sending a inconspicuous text to Rusty, asking what they were doing, but in the end he opts for only begging that they just won't be home when they get there. She had her payback, and he admits, he deserved it, but now he thinks, that it is time that she learns that you don't mess with Andy Flynn, either.


	7. Chapter 7

This freaking heat wave crashed my computer and i kinda lost every thing i had already, but i recreated this chapter as bestas i could, but like the previous one, my imagination got away from me and this turned out quite a bit different than i originally intended. I still hope it does all of them justice and you still enjoy it.

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Chapter VII - Team

She had expected to get some sort of retribution for the way she had been acting with Andy's daughter, over a week ago.

Monday after their day in the park, she had, among other things, another interesting conversation with her sons regarding her relationship with him. That won't in no way make up for the still outstanding interrogation he and she would have to endure in roughly three weeks, and she knows it.

Emily had, after she'd received the news, rearranged some things and surprised her mother by announcing that she found some room to shift her rehearsals and squeeze in a few days in L.A., too. She's not sure how glad she should still be for that visit, since it's clear her daughter's main motive is to grill Andy about his intentions and, knowing her daughter far too well, further meddle in her personal relationship.

Sharon had already received the question, when they are planning to get married. _When_ , not _if_. Her response had been _we're not_ and she tried to leave it at that, but Emily tried again every time she got the chance. When she tried to reason that they only had been dating for four weeks, the young woman had laughed, added _and a year_ and now, that Sharon is no longer in denial about her feelings for Andy she had to admit, that she was right. That still didn't mean they had any talk about marriage yet - after all it was not even that long since she had gotten divorced.

People argued that technically she had not been married (in the true sense of the word) for two decades, but she tries not to think of that, because the more she did, the more she realized that they were right about that, too and felt pathetic for holding on to that farce of a marriage for as long as she had. Point was, that she better have a real defense ready when Emily showed up, or a ring on her finger – and though it is incredibly early in their (official) relationship, she would probably say _yes_ if he asked her right now.

There had been plenty of opportunity for Andy to get his payback and while she thinks she doesn't really deserve it, after all she had just gotten even, she also knows, that he wouldn't be the man she has fallen in love with, if he didn't. So, when Rusty announced that he had an assignment due the next day and sheepishly admitted, that he had been a bit distracted and needed _a hell of a lot of time_ still, to finish it up, Andy told her in no uncertain terms, that they were going to join the team for a drink that night. And that's when Sharon just knew, Andy was going to get his revenge.

They had talked about officially telling the team that they were together, and though they have not come up with a precise plan yet, this would be as good an opportunity as any. Sharon would prefer however, to tell them with a sentence or two and limit the displays of affection to a very, _very,_ bare minimum. Then they could get back to being just like they were before, because they had been together for a whole month now and nothing around the office had changed, so she didn't see why it should just because they were _official_ now. Andy had other ideas – shared them profoundly in the last week – most of them involving some kind of touching and kissing and displaying just how much in love he was with her; mainly to annoy a certain partner of his who, despite all the talk about him not wanting to know anything about this relationship, still shared his opinion of the situation whenever he could. She knows, that normally he would only say this to annoy _her_ and respect her wish to keep their professional and personal lives separate from each other. Now, she's not so sure anymore.

She checks her appearance in the mirror one last time, before sliding into her heels and leaving the bedroom. She had thrown on something for Andy's benefit but still appropriate enough to spend an evening in pleasant company with her team. The heels were just the slightest bit shorter than she liked to wear to work but she loves that Andy was taller than her and she fit perfectly into his side when she wore those. Knocking on Rusty's door, she tells him that they are leaving and is met with a barely audible _yea, have fun_. She smiles despite the fact that she had chewed him out for neglecting his school work earlier. He seems to be making up for the last few weeks rather productively – at least that's what she hopes he's doing in there. But she decided a while ago, that she would try and stop being the overprotective mother that was always on his case about school. As long as he did his work and came to her when he had any problems, she was also going to enjoy the benefits her relationship with Andy provided.

Speaking of Andy, the man is searching the living room for his car keys that had kind of vanished. Sharon walks over to the dresser beside the front door and picked up hers and put them in her purse.

"You know, we can take my car, I won't be – "

"Sharon" he interrupts her with a sigh. They had gone over this before. "I appreciate the gesture, I really do, and you know it. But I told you more than once that you can have a drink around me" The first time she had declined a drink in his presence he had been hurt, until she explained to him that she, in no way, thought he could not handle it and would give in to craving one of his own. She had just been considerate of the fact that he didn't _want_ a drink and so she didn't take one either. They had this conversation every time they went out to dinner since and generally he would win (he would order a glass of her favorite wine, while she glared at him), so he doesn't really know, why she still tried. She had had an alcoholic husband and way too much knowledge of just how bad alcohol can be if you don't drink responsible, he knows she won't ever her really drunk. He didn't see the harm.

"What if I really didn't want anything to drink tonight?" She shoots back at him."Maybe I agreed to come along just for the company" She bats her eyelashes at him, walking over. She pushes up on her tip toes to press a gentle kiss to his lips before she sneaks out off his embrace and retrieves her phone.

"Right, tell you what. Since I am not drinking, why don't we take my car, so you at least have the option" He would get her a glass of wine later and she would accept it, because she hasn't had one for dinner and he knows that she likes to unwind from a long day with a glass.

"Fine" she turns after stashing her phone in her purse "Found your keys yet?" Sharon smirks when he looks at her sheepishly. Without those keys, she would get her way in this for once. Just when he is about to give in and let her have this one, the door to Rusty's room opens and he casually pops his head through the opening.

"I put your keys on the kitchen counter and I do _not_ want to know how they ended up _in_ that armchair in the living room" With that the door shuts again and Sharon's glad he didn't opt to leave his room because he does not need to see her flushing, again. _Yea_ , she thinks, _it's probably a very, very good idea he did not ask this._

With all that cleared up, they are on their way to join the team a few minutes later. It had actually been Rusty, who had asked if arriving together, in the same car was really such a good idea, but it had been Sharon's and Andy was not about to complain when she finally felt comfortable enough to show their relationship in public. The drive wasn't long and when he puts the car in park and is about to get up and open her door for her, she stops him with a hand on his arm.

"We will not be making out on front of the people we work with every day, right?!" That had been one of his suggestions and while she enjoyed the thought of making out with him, this was just a little too public for her. She knows, she won't be leaving his side the whole night and if his arm came around her waist at some point or he'd drop a chaste kiss to her lips, she could definitely live with that – anything else and she just might have to kill him.

"Of course not, baby" He doesn't sound convincing so she just resigns herself to the fact, that he hopefully knows that.

When he opens the door for her she smiles up at him and readily accepts the kiss he's dropping onto her upturned lips. She finds herself into his side easily and in that moment she decides, that this is as good a revelation as any. So when he tries to let go of her after they stepped through the door, she pulls his arm tighter around her and laces her fingers through his again. He sends her a surprised look but he's far from complaining.

They arrive to a table full of surprised faces but somehow she doesn't get the feeling that they are surprised for the same reason she thought they'd be. Sharon and Andy take their seat, she's still not letting go of him, and then suddenly conversation between the other members of the team returns to what they had been discussing before they arrived. The two share a look – have they really been that obvious or were they not obvious enough tonight? When the waitress comes and Andy orders a glass of wine for Sharon and his usual drink the others finally seem to recognize their presence.

"So you finally decided to tell people?" Provenza asks. He is the only one at this table who officially knows about them, but by the smirks going about around them, they start to consider how many of them _unofficially_ knew anyway.

"We were actually going for not _saying_ anything" Andy smiles, pulling her even closer when their drinks arrived. He pulls the glass of wine in front of his so she could not easily access it and when she looks at his questioningly he just shrugs his shoulders and, with a quick glance, makes sure all attention is on them.

She forgets that this is exactly what she did not want to happen the moment his lips touch hers. And, much to all of their surprise, it's her who opens her lips in invitation and deepens the kiss. She's breathless and not the least bit embarrassed when they pull up for air, leaning her head against his shoulder and reaching for her drink. Taking a small sip, she tries to suppress the smile that makes its way onto her lips. They may not have fooled all of them with their _just friends_ but at least they got a pretty good reaction out of them with their display of affection right then.

"Honey, you do know, that this is _exactly_ what we just discussed would _not_ happen?" She doesn't even realize that she didn't call him Andy.

"You didn't seem to be complaining, baby" He drops a kiss to her hair when she lets out a groan. She doesn't necessarily hate it when he calls her _baby_ but she rather prefers _beautiful_ or _sweetheart_ or even _gorgeous._

She hears the others snicker before Provenza says "You just had to do that, didn't you?! I told you I do not want to see or hear anything about this!" She doesn't even dignify that with a response and it seems like Andy isn't thinking about it either.

"So they actually told you?" Buzz asks. He had been the first one to point out, that this _just friends_ was even greater bullshit than it had been six months ago.

"You do not want to know, how I found out about those two" the Lieutenant says before taking another sip of his beer. That only gets them a series of interested looks.

"No, really, you do not need to know that" She's surprised Andy is the one that doesn't want to tell this story – not that she wants to, either, but he had been so determined to torment his partner, that she thought retelling those stories here, would not be an issue for him. When she sees him looking at her, she knows he's doing it for her.

"He did not walk in on you or anything like that, did he?" Julio is laughing. Surely they had been way more careful since they had tried to hide their relationship from them for so long.

"No, as I understand, that had been Rusty" She does not even blush this time. After having this conversation with all four children more than once, she is not even embarrassed anymore. The laughter around the table actually makes her feel even better and the solid, warm body she is cuddled up to makes her feel loved and like she belongs. She never had imagined this, all of this, when she had taken over Major Crimes. There are a few minutes where she lets them _discuss_ what they'd just heard, enjoying the jokes on her sons behalf more than the once on theirs.

"So, you _all_ knew?" She had figured that out pretty soon after they arrived, but she needs the confirmation. She doesn't know why, but she would feel better, if they had fooled at least one of them. She receives a series of nods and _yes_.

"Were we really that obvious?" They are all detectives, trained and paid to connect clues, uncover secrets and solve mysteries but seriously, she can't for the life of her figure out where they had been indiscreet in the slightest – at least around one of the team.

"You stopped undressing each other with your eyes, ma'am" Sanchez answers with as much respect as he could put into this particular sentence. He couldn't however hide the smile that breaks out over his face.

"And do you seriously _not_ realize that you smell like her perfume every day?" Sykes adds. She had been the first one to notice _that._

Sharon turns her face into his shoulder while the others again, laugh at them. This is going to be a long evening she thinks, and when Andy joins in the laughter, she lightly elbows him in the side. He just places another kiss onto her temple and pulls her even closer. And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the laughter stops and after ordering another round of drinks their conversation shifts to topics they would discuss at every one of their outings. No one is really making a big deal out of this and thinking about it, she doesn't know why she expected they would. It was just like when Ricky showed up – they switched back to normal life because public or not – their relationship didn't really change anything in their dynamic.


	8. Chapter 8

Folks, I have no excuse than that I have simply been too lazy to edit this chapter for you guys. Shame on me, yea I know. But this was one of my first ones and after I wrote some of thiose you aready read more recently and kind of changed the tune of my chapters, I could not post this as it had been.

Also, I have not actually watched 'the closer' other than some random episodes that aired when I was bored, and a few of the lsat ones where Sharon was already integrated a good deal. So, I apologize, if this may seem OOC and if I really did not manage to get Brenda and Fritz right, but this chapter just screamed at me, that it needed to be done because of obvious reasons, but i did neither have the time, nor the urge to watch 'the closer' I do hope, that it's still not all that bad and you will enjoy it nevertheless.

Furthermore, this story will officially have another TWO chapters, that are halfway finished, so expect them soon. but since many of you want to see that inquisition the children have planned for their parents, i decided to try my hand on that one, too. This could take a while, though, since I'm preoccupied with work and multitasking on three (THREE! AHHH) other stories I want to share soon.

thanks to anyone who actually stuck with me through my rambling and enjoy the next chapter :)

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Chapter VIII - Fritz and Brenda

It had been Rusty who pointed out that it was their anniversary and though, technically it _wasn't_ it _was_ , too. Their actual relationship was only five weeks old, but as both of them reluctantly admitted a while ago, they had been kind of _dating_ for far longer than that. It had been exactly one year today since the first dinner he had asked her to. They don't count his daughter's wedding, because that's Nicole's day and technically that had not been a date and as much as they'd argued before that they had not been out on actual dates for a very a very long time after that, they, in hindsight, could not deny that they _had_ been kind of dating all this time.

So they just went with it. It _was_ as good an opportunity to celebrate as any, if it was their maybe-kind-of-but-not-really one year anniversary or not.

Sharon had argued the matter of Andy taking over preparations and reservations for the night for all of two seconds, and the fact that she gave in this easily surprised even her. She liked when the man asked the woman out, she was old-fashioned like that, but she was also independent enough that, since they'd gotten together, she had always wanted to take part in the decisions – unless of course, he surprised her. Andy respected that, loved that about her even and so he shared a look of surprise with the teenager behind her back when she simply shrugged her shoulders and told him to give her at least a clue to what she should be wearing. But for all her independence when it comes to her personal and professional life, she loves Andy and, more importantly, trusts him with all her heart. More so than she did Jack – _ever_ \- she realized, even before her ex-husband turned out to be the irresponsible man she knew today.

The problem, she'd admitted to herself a long time ago, had been that she had fallen in love with Jack and pursued this relationship without really knowing the man. They met, they talked, he asked her out and some time during their third date, she realized that she might actually be falling for him. She had had boyfriends before, but the love she felt for this man had made her blind to things she probably could ( _Should_ ) have seen before she'd grown too attached.

With Andy, it was different. On a professional level, she couldn't stand the guy when she first met him and he hadn't been too fond of her either. (All of Taylor's good intentions in mind, she _had_ seen the great artwork he'd drawn on the whiteboard). Physically and personally she'd found him incredibly attractive, even back then, but she vowed to not go there either. Even more unbelievable in her eyes than their friendship growing into more, had been the fact, that there was a friendship to begin with. But that was just it; they were friends before anything else and would always be – no matter what happened between them. She'd seen him at his best and at his worst. They had their fair share of arguments and fights about their different views on how to approach matters at work and he, more than once, gave her a piece of his mind, when she had been fussing over Rusty or her ex-husband or generally any personal matter way too much. Despite all that, she had fallen in love with the man she knew, not the picture he portrayed or what she wanted to see.

So yea, she trusts him enough to give up her own ways once in a while – especially since he never asked her to.

Reservations were made at one of the most romantic places in LA – at least the most romantic you got last minute reservations at. They rarely strayed from their comfortable diners and restaurants they'd frequented when they were just friends, but this was a special occasion and if Andy had the chance, he was going to treat her to an incredibly romantic dinner.

He finds her chatting with Rusty in the living-room when he steps out of the bedroom. He rarely bothers to go home in the evening, too. The black dress she's wearing is the one her son had picked out for her the one time Sharon and Emily dragged both him and Ricky shopping, and it looks so amazing on her, that Andy debates if it's worth scaring Rusty for live – again. He decides against it, instead complimenting her with a _wow you look amazing_ and steals a quick kiss when he passes them to retrieve his phone from the kitchen. Rusty is used to that by now, doesn't even roll his eyes anymore, though a quick kiss and the occasional hug is all he really tolerates in regards of PDA. Most evenings he clears out of the living-room when they start the cuddling, because cuddling leads to kissing and kissing leads to things he really does not want to see.

Sharon still has no idea where they are going, but both her boys assured her she will love it – which makes her wonder why Rusty is entitled to know and she isn't. Taking the arm he offers her, they bid the teenager goodbye, promising not to stay out too late.

Rusty's response is a determined "I don't care when you get home, because I'm going to crank up my stereo as soon as you leave and pretend you will _not_ be down the hall from my room tonight"

Sharon laughs at him "We can go over to Andy's tonight, if it makes you more comfortable"

"God, Sharon, don't say things like that" he groans, heading back to his room. After she had gotten over the initial embarrassment over the situations he children witnessed, she had found quite a fondness of making Rusty squirm whenever she got the chance.

The drive to the restaurant is filled with conversation about the recital Nicole's boys are having in a few days and the fact that they only had one more week before her children are scheduled to arrive for their inquisition.

She doesn't even reach for the door handle when the car parks, holding in the eye roll about his chivalrous action, too and waits patiently for him to round the car and open the door for her. Today, they are celebrating and so she gives him that, without commenting on it. After he closes the door behind her, glancing at his watch to find that they are early, he pushes her against it, dropping a chaste kiss onto her lips.

"I love you. You know that, right" Andy breathes against her lips before claiming them again in a more lingering caress.

When he pulls back, she grabs onto the lapels of his jacket and drags him back to her. "I love you, too" She kissed him again, more passionate.

There was a time, not so long ago, when she would have been embarrassed and uncomfortable with making out in a full parking lot of a fancy restaurant, but after all they've been through in the last couple of weeks, she just doesn't care anymore. When his hands sneak under her dress, she smiles into the kiss and breaks away from him. This is definitively a bad idea, if they want to make their reservations. Andy gives her a smile while he pulls the fabric back down and then he takes a step back and, taking her hand, leads her into the restaurant.

They are still a few minutes early and so they are told to wait, their table would be ready momentarily. Sharon spots them first, nudging Andy and pointing her head in their direction. They share a short look, before they broach the small distance to greet Brenda and Fritz.

"Just don't say it, please" they hear Fritz, not so quietly whisper to his wife before he smiles at them. He had heard about it, too but they are strictly professional at work and so he did not have any concrete proof of the rumored relationship.

"Chief, Fritz. It's good to see you" Since Brenda left Major Crimes and headed for a slightly different career path, they hadn't seen her around at all.

"Do you think it's really wise to talk to us?" The former Chief inquires, making her husband let out a moan. He'd told her not to say anything.

"Excuse me?" Sharon asks, sharing a look with Andy. Sure, they hadn't gotten off on the right footing, she would even go as far as saying they actually hated each other in the beginning. But with everything Sharon had done for her during the law suit, she had really thought they ended their acquaintance on at least neutral ground.

"Someone will recognize us, jeopardizing this whole operation"

"Operation? What operation…" Andy starts, trails off, when he realizes what's going on. "You haven't told her?" They thought they'd be the hottest office gossip they had in a while.

"I didn't know" Two incredibly unbelieving looks in his direction later, he relents "It really wasn't my place"

"Tell me what, exactly?" Brenda asks her husband now. She has an idea, but, no, this was just not possible. She'd spent years hearing Flynn and Provenza complain about the FID Captain that was grating on all of their last nerves. A job change is just not enough to change any of that.

"We're actually celebrating our anniversary tonight", Sharon answers with just enough pride in her voice to convey that she's telling the truth. Yea, seems like she had been wrong.

"So, you're together" It is neither a question, nor an actual statement. "For a whole year" Her eyes flicker to her husband for a moment, sending him a heated glare. Granted, there was really no way of foreseeing, that they would actually run into each other somewhere, but still, she can't believe that he let her walk into this conversation unprepared. She watches as the two former colleagues of hers nod in the affirmative, Andy pulling Sharon even closer by the arm he had draped around her waist sometime during their talk. "And you knew" Again, no one know, if they are supposed to answer that or take it as a fact.

They would have stayed, chatted some more, bringing the former Chief up to speed with _everything_ she missed since Sharon had taken over her job. That Fritz had not speculated on the rumor he'd heard with his wife let Sharon to believe, that she probably has no idea either, that she'd taken in and adopted Rusty. Maybe this little involuntary meeting showed them, that they should be catching up with each other once in a while. Just then however, the hostess came over, announcing their table to be ready and if they would please follow her. So they say their polite good-byes and leave Brenda and Fritz to get their coats and leave for home.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" She asks as soon as Sharon and Andy are out of earshot. For the time being, she chooses to be mad at her husband for keeping such information from her, instead of thinking about said information. Quite frankly, she has no idea what she is supposed to think about that. The last she knew of both of them, Andy was still dating woman half his age and younger and Sharon was married (however happily or not) and the two of them hated each other. Couldn't stand to even be in the same room with each other, without the heated glances and the subtle insults on his part. And that's when it dawns on her, that she should have seen it back then. They may not have actually done anything until a year ago, but, looking back on it, she could see at least the physical attraction portrayed right in front of her.

She's still not sure how to feel about it, though but she decides to figure that out tomorrow, and for tonight just to enjoy the rest of her relaxing, romantic evening with her husband.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter IX - Andrea

She had no idea, if he'd talked to Emily, probably had since he is old-fashioned like that, but when she had woken up this morning, she had found two long-stemmed roses, both in different shades of red, one darker the other one lighter in color, entwined together, accompanying a simple black jewelry box. She had smiled to herself, squashing the little sparks of fear that crept up inside of her, because she'd already figured out, that this is what she wanted. The little box had just the perfect size to fit a single ring into it, the combined roses being another clear indication as to what was going to happen. She would wait for him to actually ask – as sweet as this gesture is, and she really loves it, she wants to hear the actual words from him – but she already knows, what her answer is going to be.

When she turned around, the bed beside her was empty, except for another rose, this one coral. Desire. She couldn't suppress the full-grown smile that made its way onto her lips. It went perfectly with the bouquet of eleven yellow roses with just a tiny bit of red at the tip, she'd received yesterday. God, she loved that man.

Sitting up against the headboard, she had taken the single rose between her index finger and thumb and brought it up to her nose. It smelled fresh, and she briefly wondered, where he had gotten fresh roses from so early in the morning. Never loosing the smile, she had reached over and first extracted the red flowers from the box nestled in between the stems, and, too, smelled the rich aroma of freshly grown roses. Next came the jewelry box. She took a moment to compose herself and a steadying breath, before she opened it. What greeted her, made her laugh softly. Instead of the ring she had come to expect, she found a tiny piece of paper in his distinctive handwriting. The note simply read _Tea?_. Sharon had carefully pushed back the covers and put on her robe, tying the knot loosely at her waist, before she made her way out of the bedroom.

The condo had been quiet apart from the soft noises of someone working in the kitchen. Her kids had arrived two days ago, and though it was too early for them to be up yet, at least two of them should be snoring away on the couch and an air mattress in the living room. There had been no one and she knew then, that he had talked to the kids before staging this whole scene. Whether it had been him asking them for permission, or them asking him when he was going to ask the question, she'd probably never know, but she did have a suspicion, that it had been the former.

He had turned around from the cup of her favorite tea he had been preparing, when he heard her soft approach. Her bare feet on the smooth floor were almost inaudible, but he had become accustomed to the way she walked and the natural noises her _(their?)_ condo emitted. He had admired her sheer beauty as she had been taking in all he had done while she was asleep. The table had been decorated with even more roses, petals in even more different shades of red. He had cooked breakfast, a little bit of everything, and his coffee was already sitting on the table. Her tea had joined his cup, before he stopped in front of her and dropped a light kiss to her hairline – barefoot she is another inch shorter than she is in shoes other than her high heels. She put her free arm around his waist, turning her face up and pursed her lips for a proper kiss.

"Good morning, handsome" He had still been wearing his pajamas and had not bothered to get his bed hair under control. He had looked so adorable that she debated to call in sick for the both of them and be able to see that look the whole day.

"Good morning, beautiful" She had smiled at him then, and blushed a little. In no way was she as beautiful as he always claimed her to be, especially not first thing in the morning, before her body had seen a shower and her hair had been introduced to a brush.

He had kissed her smiling lips again, softly and then took the hand that had been holding the roses and the ring box and brought it between them. The single rose went into her unkempt hair, right behind her left ear, the intertwined ones he had set behind him onto the breakfast table, along with the box. The actual ring he had pulled out of the pocket of his pajama pants and, with unshed tears glistening in her eyes, he had sunk onto his knees. He had planned out a romantic and heartfelt speech, half of which he could not seem to remember because he hadn't planned on being so tongue tied and nervous proposing to her. But standing in front of him like she had, teary eyes, heavy breathing and partly closed robe over a simple pajama set, she had never looked more beautiful to him.

She had said _yes_ in barely a whisper over the lump in her throat. He had put the shimmering gold ring, embedded with one emerald stone flanked by two ruby stones onto her finger. She had pulled him to his feet and kissed him. He had backed her into the kitchen counter and kisser her more passionately. Some time in between their heavy make-out session her children had announced that they were coming to join them now. With a laugh they had pulled apart, straightened their clothing and told them it was safe to come outside. Breakfast had been a pretty happy occasion shared among the five of them.

A knock on her office door pulls her out of her thoughts and she smiles when she can see through the open blinds that it is Amy. The young detective has come a long way, and she is proud to have made the decision to recruit her onto their team.

"I just wanted to say congratulation, again" Amy says with a smile of her own.

"Thank you" They had not even bothered to not say anything to their team, but had gathered everyone around when they arrived and shared their announcement. A relationship could be easy to hide (though they had managed to fail that spectacularly) but an engagement is something different. It was just a matter a time, probably hours, until someone noticed the ring on her finger – and there was no question that she would wear it at work. If no one would, things would surely get rather obvious and awkward when the wedding invitations started to arrive. "Would you mind following me for a second?" Though it was put like a question, Sharon read the hidden command clearly. She's proud, she had taught her pretty well.

Sharon is about to protest that she doesn't have time but, glancing onto her desk she realized that she does, in fact, have the time to find out whatever Amy is up to. Her paperwork for the day is all but finished, her son had texted her that he and his siblings will be out tonight to give the newly-engaged couple some alone time and she had just ended a phone conversation with DDA Hobbs, confirming that the woman is on her way over. There really is nothing for her to do at the moment. "Lead the way"

The desk area in front of her office is empty when they cross it, and she wonders, how she did not notice that sooner. Seems like whatever Sykes was up to, she isn't in on it alone. There's chatter breaking through the closed door of the break-room and when she is lead inside, she comes face to face with her team, Andy and her children. All of them hold a plastic cup of what she hopes is nothing alcoholic, Andy and Julio having two. They hand them off to the women as they join them. On the counter behind them is an actual cake. She eyes all of it warily, then eyes all of _them_ in the same fashion, before she concludes, that her children are most likely responsible for this.

"Don't worry mom, it's just sparkling cider" Emily tells her, coming up on her mother's side.

"Whose idea was that?" She asks loudly with an appreciative smile on her face. This engagement suited her just fine, they all decide. Her team thinks they have not seen her smile as much in the years she's been their Captain as they had today.

"Certainly not mine" Provenza grumbles under his breath, but even the few of them who hear him, just ignore his comment.

"Your children are pretty convincing, ma'am." Julio supplies "All of them"

"Emily here made all the plans and made sure we did what we had to" Tao adds with a nod in the young woman's direction. The laughter that follows his statement has Sharon laugh, too.

"They just showed up here and Em, with her mind set on her task told you what to do" No question, she knows her daughter well enough.

"She certainly is your daughter" Andy tells her in between laughs. She elbows him in the side lightly, but accepts his kiss. This _party_ is for them, only exists because they had gotten engaged, so she thinks it is okay to show affection in the office.

When the door to the break-room opens again, they all turn to stare at it, hoping this would not be Taylor. He was one of the last people Sharon wants to deal with right now. "The desk area was deserted and I heard voices coming…" Andrea Hobbs trails off for a moment, assesses the situation in front of her and decides that this looks pretty much like a small, discreet party. "What are we celebrating?" The relieved sighs all around her let her know, that she is welcome here and so she steps in and closes the door behind her again.

"Andy finally worked up the courage to ask mom to marry him" Rusty has no idea if Andrea had been privy to Sharon's and Andy's relationship but he thinks with an office engagement party, the cat is out of the bag anyway. The startled looks they are all giving him make him wonder if maybe he had been wrong. Then he replays his sentence over in his head and laughs. "Well, she _is_ my mom"

"I would have appreciated an official notice on that relationship" Andrea says, with a pointed look at Sharon. The two of them might not be best friends, hanging out whenever they are free, but they are friends enough to catch up on their personal lives once in a while over coffee. Surely there had been one or two occasions where Sharon could have mentioned that the friendship she'd established with her Lieutenant, developed into something more.

Andrea knew, of course. After the official notification to Taylor, it wasn't an actual secret anymore, but since they never officially told anyone else in the building, apart from their team, the best thing they still got were rumors. More founded ones, but rumors nonetheless.

"I was going to tell you?" Sharon tries, knowing full well herself, that it just wasn't good enough. An engagement is clearly a step you take in a relationship when you had plenty of time to inform your friends the aforementioned relationship exists in the first place.

"Yea?" The blonde shoots back. "When? On the wedding invitations?"

"Who says you're invited?" Sharon is now clearly teasing and Andrea doesn't even dignify that with a proper response.

"Congratulations" She says instead, smile on her face and pulls her friend into a hug. Next thing she knows is someone pressing a plastic cup of _something_ into her hand and after Sharon finds herself back at Andy's side, his arm around her shoulders, Emily starts to speak.

Her speak is obviously been pretty well thought about and rehearsed, she probably had it ready before Andy even asked, but she kept it short, knowing they all have some more things to do, before they can wrap up here and go home. Andrea showing up at this hour is clear indication of that, too. The team expresses their well wishes again, too and Andrea works in a word or two as well.

The 'celebration' is held short because apart from the fact, that there is still work to be done, they had promised Taylor to keep this out of the office. The occasional touch or glance is one thing (they even worked in a few light kisses here and there) but a gathering to celebrate their relationship is a slightly different story. When the children say their good-byes half an hour later, the team shoos Sharon and Andrea out of the room to finish their outstanding business for the day and Andy to get a close on his paperwork, so they could actually leave at a reasonable hour today.

When they arrive home to an empty condo, there is some more cake stored in the fridge and, along with Andy's favorite non-alcoholic drink choice a bottle of Sharon's favorite white wine.


	10. Chapter 10

For obvious reasons, that had to be done and after I did not manage to get this out before someone seemingly asked for Jack finding out about them dating somewhere, I just randomly decided, that this perfectly doubles as that, too :)

I have marked this as complete, because technically it is, but nevertheless, I WILL still give you that promised Children Inquisition Chapter.

read and enjoy :)

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Chapter X - Jack

Sharon had 'suggested' he'd go to a meeting and he had wholeheartedly agreed, that he needed one. He also needed a comfortable, lazy evening with his wife and her son, to make sure both of them are really okay. He was attending one first thing in the morning, but Sharon insisted. They were fine, wouldn't leave the house until Monday, when she's due back at work and Rusty has classes.

The boy had moved out a while ago, sharing an apartment off campus with, what both Sharon and Andy were sure, was not only his _friend_ Max. Apparently, denial runs in the family.

He had promised a visit to the station before he was home for the weekend and that was around the time things got rather ugly on the ninth floor. The fact that their victim had been a 13 year old boy, brutally stabbed to death, had Andy on the verge of breaking already, but what transpired in just a few minutes had him loose it completely. Their witness (which turned out to be their killer pretty fast) crumbled under the pressure the Captain had put on him to describe, in great detail, the incident he had supposedly witnessed and the man committing said crime. The young man, not older than 19, had been reluctant to say anything at all, afraid the 'killer' might have seen him and was after him now, too and so the Captain had taken him into her office instead of an interrogation room.

They had found the body not two hours earlier and found their 'witness' and hour later and he had no time to really prepare himself for what to say when they eventually caught onto him. So he had improvised, said he saw what happened and improvised some more on what exactly he had seen and how the man looked like. Sharon had not been satisfied with the vague explanation of things and when she had pushed for more information, he had snapped. He had leaped out of his chair, leaving the office intend on escaping the building. Not the brightest around, he might have underestimated the fact that he was in a police building and, when the Captain left her office in a hurry, calling out to her team to stop him, he started throwing everything he could get his hands on.

Rusty had shown up exactly then, walking right in into the line of a chair being shoved at Sharon. When he had spotted the new arrival, being closest to him to get to, Rusty had begged off slowly, glancing at his parents to see how serious this situation really was. Two simultaneous scared shouts of "Rusty, get out of here" caught not only his attention, but also the young man causing all that chaos. He had caught onto the situation quickly; the boy was obviously their son and he was inching closer to Rusty.

Next to never planning on actually murdering anyone ever, taking someone hostage, too, never crossed his mind before. But if he could just get to the son of two of those police officers trying to catch him, he was sure he could just walk out of here. Rusty had turned on his heel and ran back in the direction he had come from, the other boy leaping after him. When Julio and Andy finally detained him before he could get to Rusty, he had started fighting them, leaving him with a bloody nose and probably a broken arm. Sharon had a hard time trying not to be too happy about that fact. Rules or no rules, the young man had threatened her family and just this once she had been extremely glad for Andy's short temper and protective streak. She even would have been willing to overlook certain moves on the men's part that certainly had been unnecessary, had she still been in IA. But since she wasn't, she had only hoped that she had left a good enough impression some years ago, and they would count in the fact that their son had been in the line of danger, too.

The killer detained in an interrogation room and being looked after by paramedics, the team had gone about their business, pretending to not have seen Sharon and Andy follow the path Rusty had just taken. Almost a year as husband and wife and they had portrayed nothing but the utmost professionalism when in the office, not to mention the years before where they had been dating and 'non-dating', so a little personal time to check if their son was alright had been the least they could give them.

The two had found Rusty in the break-room, still a little startled and Sharon had pulled him into a fierce hug, checking him over. She had been too far away from him to see if the other boy had reached him before Andy and Julio had been there. Rusty had clung to his mother a little longer than strictly necessary and definitively longer than he would have been comfortable with not two years prior. And then, in an act that surprised even him, he had given Andy the same hug as a silent _thank you_.

The two had become pretty close once Rusty had gotten over the doubts he had had in the beginning of their relationship, and after they had moved in with him and the wedding, he considered the man as more of a father figure than he would have ever thought possible. Andy, too, may not have officially adopted the boy (yet) but he had no problem with claiming him as his own. Physical contact, apart from the occasional handshake, had been pretty rare though.

After Andy had made sure that the boy was alright, he had focused his attention on his wife, asking her if she was okay and pulling her to his side so he could see for himself. In any other circumstance, Rusty would have cleared out then, afraid the simple kiss his father dropped onto his mother's lips was going to lead to things he was still not comfortable thinking about when it involved them. But today he had just been glad that they had not been hurt, too. He needed that little family moment just as much as they did.

They had sent Rusty home, and he willingly left, promising to stop by another time. He had been looking forward to seeing all of them for a moment, because since he had moved out, he had even less opportunity to swing by the station and see the people that had been a family to him when no one else wanted him.

An hour later, Sharon had told Andy to go to a meeting when he was finished and he had told her what he needed first (and more) had been to know that his family was safe. They had argued over the fact for all but five minutes until he had caved when she had promised to stay inside the house with Rusty until he got back and that he could hover over them the entire weekend. He had not known, at this point, that they actually had the weekend off (completely, Taylor made sure to cut on overtime for them again) but she had only found out herself just before their 'witness' arrived.

She had relayed that information to the rest of the team, telling them to hurry up because Taylor wanted them out of the office in an hour, then she had sent Rusty a text stating when she would be home and, with another meaningful glance at her husband, she had left to finish her own paperwork. Andy had sighted, rushing with his reports, because he knew he had lost. Rationally he knew she was right. They were okay and would continue to be so; their killer was behind bars and he needed that meeting. That didn't stop him from worrying though, and when he was worried about his family, he tended to get a bit irrational. Good thing she knew that before they ever started dating.

He had left exactly 55 minutes later, popping his head into her office to let her know when he would be home and that Provenza would be dropping him off, since they had arrived to work together in the morning. She had beckoned him over, grabbing his tie to pull him closer, so she could say good-bye properly. She hadn't cared that the blinds weren't drawn and neither had he. They didn't indulge in any inappropriate behavior inside those walls (even though Andy did have a few ideas about how to use that desk more productively) and so the occasional kiss when they arrived or left separately was something the people around them just had to endure.

Not ten minutes into his meeting, Sharon had regretted her decision. Today had been a pretty hard day and when there was one thing, she needed right now, it was her husband. She had Rusty sure, but it wasn't the same. The boy understood completely, telling her not to worry and get home when they were finished when she called to ask if he would be mad should she make a detour and pick up Andy first.

This is how she finds herself leaning against the hood of her car in the semi-darkness, waiting patiently. She knows it's not long now until he would show up and her heart flutters at the thought of seeing him. She is sure, that after all this time together her reaction to the simple thought of _seeing_ him is a bit pathetic, but she just can't help it. When the door opens, she pushes herself off the car and walks a few steps closer so Andy would find her and not keep looking out for his partner.

When she sees him, she lets out a long breath and barely manages to keep her eye roll at bay. At least, she thinks, he's trying. Not that she hadn't heard _that_ more than once already. He makes his way over to her when he spots her, surprise shining in his eyes to find her _here_ of all places. He knows, she's not here for him, could not even be if she still cared about him. She did not know he was in town, he had begged his children not to say anything until he was ready to.

"Sharon" he greets her with a smile. "How are you?" She looks good. Happy.

"Jack. Hi." She's not as uncomfortable as she thought she'd be when she first saw him. "I'm good. How are you doing?" And Sharon realizes that she is genuinely interested in his answer. He looks better, good, almost as handsome as when she first met him – only older.

"Sober for almost a year and a half" he says, thinks that answers her question sufficiently. He's still curious as to what she is doing here though. He is about to ask, realizes that he has no idea how to and closes his mouth again. How do you ask your ex-wife you haven't seen in almost two years why she is waiting in front of a building housing an AA meeting?

"I'm picking up Andy" she supplies with a shrug, knowing what he wanted to know. She might not have any contact with her ex-husband in the last two years, but she is sure her children had – and they surely had mentioned anything to him.

"Andy" His face deflates a little but he tries a smile nevertheless. "So, you and Andy are –"

"-married" It's Andy who finishes the sentence. And he, too realizes, that he does not intend to be mean. He is not trying to rub his relationship with Sharon in the other man's face. They are not neither had they ever been competing over the woman. He slips his arm around her waist, but, in an attempt not to make this uncomfortable, refrains from kissing her. "Jack, it's good to see you" It's not a lie.

Jack acknowledges the other man with a nod of his head, watching the two of them for a moment. They look good together, he has to admit, and if he's really honest with herself, she looks happier than she has ever been with him – not including their very early years. He honestly had no idea Sharon was seeing anyone, let alone that she's married to Andy Flynn. Just as he had asked Emily and Ricky not to tell their mother anything about his life, at least, until he felt put together enough to do it himself, he had not let them tell him anything about hers. He had made the decision to leave her alone to work through his problems (hopefully once and for all) and constantly having her in the back of his mind would just not work. "Congratulations" and after he catches his ex-wife's barely recognizable disbelieve, he adds, "No, I mean it. You deserve to be happy, and I realized a while ago, that _I_ wasn't the one who could provide that for you anymore. I'm glad you found love again, after all I did to you" He had said things similar to this more than once already, trying to get back into her bed or her checking account, but this time he is actually serious. It had taken him a divorce and an eye-opening conversation with his ex-wife, to finally realize that he had royally screwed up, but he had eventually figured it out.

He won't lie, he still loves her, but he's not fooling himself into think she still loves him, too. He knows what an incredible woman he had lost due to his own actions and he loves her enough to give her up, to let her be with someone who actually made her happy.

Andy doesn't say anything. This is between them and, new husband or not, he knows it's not his place.

"Thanks" she's still not sure what to make of this. She has been hurt too much by this man and hear too many of his apologies to really know what he truly meant and what not.

"Listen, Sharon, I am not trying to apologize for anything. I know, I'm supposed to, and god knows I did a hell of a lot of that over the last 25 years. Look what good it did us." He pauses for a moment, drawing a breath. "I don't expect you to forgive me like you may or may not have done before, I know that I have no right to ask for that. All I want is for you to know, that I _am_ genuinely happy you found Andy." He finally looks at the pair again. "And, maybe, some day, we can at least have a civil conversation, even if it just revolves around our kids."

He leaves then, he has said all he wanted to. He had hoped he'd have a few more weeks or months to do so and he had not expected to find her remarried to Andrew Flynn, but somehow, he is still glad he did it. And, yes, it's hard, but he _is_ honestly happy for them.

"Jack" he stops when her voice reaches him, turns around. "If this is really more than you making the same old amends" she stops for a moment, glances over at her husband who gives her an encouraging smile. Then she continues" Then give me a call and we can maybe meet for coffee and a talk"


End file.
